Washboard.



J. E. BYRNES.

WASHBOARD.- APPLIOATION IIIBED'MAY 26. 1909.

Patented Oct. 26,

JOSEPH E. BYRNES, OF ROCHESTER, YOLK.

WASHBOABD.

ceases.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

Application filed May 26, 1909. Serial No, 498,585.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. BYRNES, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Washboards, which improvement is fully set forth in the following speci ication and shown in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in washboards of that class formed entirely of metal, and it has for its objects among others to provide a simple improved all-metal washboard composed only of two parts, a frame anda cor- G rugated rubbing surface mounted thereupon.

This rubbing surface is ofnovel formation having peculiarities of construction which will be more clearly set forth as the description proceeds. The lower ends of the frame may sometimes be provided with feet of rubber, wood or the like, to prevent the bottom ends of the legs .of the frame from abrading or wearing the bottom of the tub. The rubbing surface is provided with a ledge for holding a cakeof soap and this ledge is provided with a slot for the outlet of the water that is carried up by the'fabric or material being Washed, and the sides of the rubbing surface are provided with channels down which the water may flow into the tub or other receptacle.

, Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is an elevation of the improved washboard. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2-ef Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. TfQipwing-a slightly modified form. Fig. 4 is a view of the frame' before the rubbing surface is applied.v Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 55 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow. I

Like numerals of reference indicate like frame made, preferably, of round wire or rod of a single piece bent to the desired form, as seen in Fig. 4. It may or may not be provided with feet 2 of rubber or some soft material, such as wood, upon the lower end of the side members 3, as shown, and the under faces-of these feet may be corrugated or roughened, as shown at l, although this is not essential. Upon this frame is a sheet metal rubbing surface 5 formed of a single piece with'its edges 6 at the two sides and the top folded around the leg portions? and the upper horizontal portion of the frame connecting the same, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. This rubbing surface of sheet metal practically covers the frame, except as to the lower portions 7 of the legs or side portions 3, and, in the form shown in Fig. 1, the upper angles or bends 8, as shown. The main body of the rubbing surface is corrugated, as seen at 9, these corrugations being of any desired configuration suitable for the purpose and the portion above the corrugations is imperforate, except as to a narrow slit or slot 10 formed therein, which slit or slot is at the top of the narrow ledge 11 forming a shelf or support for holding the soap. This narrow slit or slot is for the purpose of permitting the outlet of the water that is carried up by the fabricpr material being washed. This ledge onshelffor holding the cake of soap is slightly inclined from the middle to both sides so as to aid iii deflecting the water that .is brought above the raised corrugated surface into the side channels 12. i These side channels or gutters are for permitting the flow of the water back into the tub or other receptacle in which the washboard is employed. The bottom surfaces of these side gutters are shown as practically'even with,

a or in the same plane as the back of the corrugations, which gives them the' proper depth. The sides or edges 13 of the raised part orcorru ated surfaces are inclined at an angle of at out as seen best in Fig. 5, so as to shed the water toward the channels and the raised portions of the corrugations are substantially in line with the front surface of the rod forming the frame. The

depressions and the side channels are pressed well backward toward the rear surface of the frame, so as to provide deep andsatisfactory channels for the down fiow of the water carried up by the material being washed.

In constructin the board, the sheet metal rubbing surface is pressed to form, by molds or dies, the. edges 13 and the led e or shelf 11 being slantechas shown, and, w en the sheet and this upward turning I 10 metal body forming the rubbing surface is.

' side members or legs 3 of the frame to firmly bind the same thereto. The corrugations may be divided at the center of the rubbing surface, as seen in Fig. 1, leaving a vertical channel or passage 17, or, these corrugations may be continuous and unbroken, as indicated at 18 in Fig. 3, the construction of the board otherwise being substantially the same as shown in Fig. 1, except that the bends at the upper angles ofthe frame are covered by the flanges or bent-over portions of the blanket so as togive a somewhat better finish.

' Modifications in. detail may beresorted to without departing from the spirit'ofthe invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed as new is 1. An all-metal washboard comprising a frame and a corrugated rubbing surface having its side and top edges bent around said frame, the top corrugation being inclined in opposite directions from the center to form a soap ledge and provided with a slit exupper portion having a transverse slit above the upper corrugation.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of May, 1909, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH BYRNES. Witnesses:

E. B. WHITMonE, A. M. VVHITMORE. 

